A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

JoAnn Gurenlian joins Jessica and Dave for a practical conversation about the purpose, evolution, and everyday importance of the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice.

From understanding the difference between standards of care and scope of practice to applying professional standards in real-world clinical situations, this episode explores how standards can help dental hygienists strengthen clinical judgment, documentation, ethical decision-making, and patient outcomes.

What We Talked About

The purpose and evolution of the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice

Why standards of care matter for every dental hygienist, regardless of practice setting

Common misconceptions about standards and scope of practice

How standards support clinical judgment, documentation, and patient outcomes

The relationship between standards, ethics, and professional accountability

How educators can help students move beyond memorization to implementation

Practical ways clinicians can incorporate the standards into everyday patient care

The future of standards and what dental hygienists need to understand moving forward

Call to Action

Take a fresh look at the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice and consider how they apply to your own clinical decision-making, documentation, patient care, and professional responsibilities. Whether you are a student, educator, or practicing dental hygienist, use the standards as a framework for putting evidence, ethics, and professional judgment into action.

Resources and Links

JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn

ADHA Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice — Process of Care

AAP Staging and Grading Periodontitis Chairside Guide — Periodontal evaluation

Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice by Darby & Walsh

ADA CDT Codes

Guest Contact: [email protected]

Co-host Contacts: [email protected] | [email protected]

Every patient who sits in our chair brings more than just a mouth with them. Hormones, bone health, medications, and life stage can all influence what we see clinically.

In this episode, Jessica and Dave explore the connection between hormonal changes, bone health, and oral health—and why dental hygienists play an important role in recognizing the clues, starting conversations, and helping patients get the care they need.

What We Talked About:

How hormones and bone health influence oral health throughout a patient's lifetime

What clinicians may notice during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, and beyond

Oral signs that may point to broader systemic or bone-health concerns

Why early screening can impact long-term health outcomes

Red flags and risk factors for premature bone loss and poor bone quality

How to discuss osteoporosis, bone density, and medications with patients

How to approach sensitive conversations with compassion and confidence

Three practical things every hygienist can start doing tomorrow

The Big Takeaway

The mouth can provide important clues about what is happening throughout the body. Understanding the connections between hormones, bone health, and oral health can help clinicians recognize risks earlier and provide more informed, whole-patient care.

Contact the guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-evans-bs-mcl-rdh-thephrdh

Website: https://kristinevansrdh.wixsite.com/my-site-2

Jessica and Dave welcome Dr. Pamela Ray to discuss how hygienists can improve periodontal communication, help patients take ownership of their disease, and guide them toward informed decisions about their health.

This episode was brought to you by our friends at Net32.

What We Talked About:

Overcoming barriers to periodontal treatment acceptance.

Using the oral-systemic connection to motivate patients.

Effective language and communication strategies.

Strengthening communication with periodontists, physicians, and referral sources.

Handling patients who delay or decline treatment.

Practical tips for creating meaningful conversations that lead to action.

Call to Action:

Find your passion while practicing patient care.

Guest: Dr. Pamela Ray — [email protected]

Hosts: Jessica and Dave — [email protected] | [email protected]

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) affect millions of patients, yet they remain widely misunderstood.

In this episode, Jessica and Dave explore a new way of thinking about TMD with Dr. Anthony Urbanek. After 36 years of performing TMJ surgery, Dr. Urbanek stopped and began researching the disease to better understand its causes and develop a nonsurgical approach.

What We Talked About:

Why the traditional TMD treatment paradigm needs to change

Common myths and misconceptions about TMD

The connection between occlusion, muscles, joints, inflammation, and symptoms

Why hygienists can be the first line of defense in TMD screening

Early recognition and practical screening strategies

Conservative, evidence-based approaches to TMD management

Helping patients understand their condition and treatment options

Where TMD research and treatment are headed

The big takeaway: The old paradigm treats symptoms. The new paradigm starts by understanding the disease.

Resources:

www.urbanektmj.com

https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/urbanek-tmj-device-is-designed-to-relieve-the-inflammation-that-causes-temporomandibular-disorder

https://www.dentaleconomics.com/science-tech/article/14299097/taking-the-bite-out-of-tmd

https://hub.dentalentrepreneur.com/podcasts/the-future-of-dentistry/episodes/2148166983

Contact Guest:

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/TMJServicesofBrentwood

https://www.instagram.com/TMJServicesofBrentwood/

Contact the Hosts:

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

In this tipisode, Amanda Hill - RDH explores the importance of biology-driven home care recommendations and why a one-size-fits-all approach may not meet every patient's needs.

From chronic inflammation and acute healing to xerostomia and remineralization, Amanda discusses how hygienists can match home care products to each patient's unique biology. She highlights the important role of saliva in oral health and shares strategies for supporting patients during the many months between dental hygiene visits.

The takeaway: Assess first, choose products second, and build a home care protocol around what the patient's biology actually needs.

Download the free Perio Protect and Periosciences treatment protocol for guidance on what to use, when to use it, and how to layer therapies.

Orthodontic treatment can make oral hygiene more challenging, with brackets and aligner attachments creating areas where biofilm can accumulate and contribute to demineralization and white spot lesions.

This episode was brought to you by our friends at Solventum.

In this episode, Jessica Atkinson and Dave Torres discuss the role of fluoride in orthodontic prevention and how Solventum™ Clinpro™ Clear can help protect enamel while fitting seamlessly into clinical workflows.

What We Talked About

Why brackets and aligner attachments make oral hygiene more difficult.

The impact of biofilm and demineralization during orthodontic treatment.

The role of fluoride in orthodontic prevention.

How Clinpro™ Clear can migrate around brackets and attachments to reach high-risk areas.

Its fast-acting, 15-minute eat-and-drink time.

Its self-contained design for simple chairside application.

How Clinpro™ Clear can support both patient experience and practice workflow.

Resources:

https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/f/b5005503000/

https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/content/mmmspinco/clinpro-clear-brochure-ds-rps-enpdf

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson

[email protected]

Dave Torres

[email protected]

Jessica and Dave welcome Judy Carroll, RDH, Founder and Clinical Director of PerioPeak Innovations, to discuss how periodontal endoscopy is changing the way hygienists assess and treat periodontal disease.

With 36 years of clinical experience, Judy shares her expertise on:

How periodontal endoscopy works and its evolution in hygiene.

How visualization can improve clinical decision-making and calculus detection.

The connection between endoscopy, biofilm management, and periodontal outcomes.

Common misconceptions, barriers, and training considerations.

The future of visualization technology in periodontal care.

More affordable, hygiene-focused approaches for treating teeth traditionally considered hopeless.

Learn more about Judy's work and periodontal endoscopy at www.periopeak.com and connect with @periopeak on social media.

Resources

www.periopeak.com

www.facebook.com/periopeak/

linkedin.com/in/periopeak/

@periopeak

Guest: Judy Carroll, RDH | [email protected]

Hosts: Jessica and Dave | [email protected] | [email protected]

On this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave sit down with a dental professional who has spent more than 20 years in hygiene and noticed a recurring problem: patients whose bruxism and wear patterns pointed to possible airway issues were being referred for sleep evaluations, but too often never completed the process.

That frustration led to the creation of Orasom Health, a platform designed to help dental teams support patients from the first airway red flags in the dental chair through screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

What We Talked About

How hygienists are uniquely positioned to recognize oral signs that may point to airway dysfunction.

Why patients so often fall through the cracks after being referred for a sleep evaluation.

How dental teams can better support patients throughout the journey from screening to diagnosis and treatment.

The important role hygienists can play in identifying potential airway concerns early.

The personal, unexpected journey that sparked this mission — beginning not through dentistry, but with an unfortunate near-death experience that changed the guest's life and set this work in motion.

The Big Takeaway

Airway health doesn't have to stop at a referral. Dental hygienists are often on the frontline of identifying potential warning signs, giving them a unique opportunity to help patients take the next step toward answers and treatment.

Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aylee706/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puz8YoY2_To

Contact the Hosts:

Jessica: [email protected] Dave: [email protected]

In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave explore the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in dentistry and dental hygiene. From clinical decision-making to education and patient care, the conversation examines where AI can help, where it creates new challenges, and why human judgment remains essential.

In this episode we talked about:

How AI is currently being used in dentistry and dental hygiene

Opportunities AI may create for clinicians, educators, students, and patients

Concerns surrounding ethics, overreliance, accuracy, privacy, and critical thinking

Whether AI should be viewed as a tool, a threat, or a collaborative teammate

The importance of human judgment, empathy, and patient connection in an increasingly digital environment

How educators can prepare students for AI-integrated practice settings

Practical ways clinicians can use AI responsibly and effectively

What the future of AI in dental hygiene might realistically look like

Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebayle/

Instagram: @saltcityhygi

Pearl: www.hellopearl.com

Pearl Case Studies and Guides: https://hellopearl.com/case-studies-guides

Contact the Hosts:

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

What if true rigor in education isn't about making learning harder—but making it more meaningful?

In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave sit down with Marion Manski, MS, RDH, to reflect on a distinguished career in dental hygiene education. As she prepares for retirement, Marion shares how her philosophy of teaching has evolved, why high standards and compassion can coexist, and what today's educators can do to help students succeed without losing sight of their humanity.

This conversation is a thoughtful look at leadership, mentorship, and the lasting impact educators have on the future of the profession.

In This Episode:

How Marion's teaching philosophy has evolved over the years.

What academic rigor really means in today's educational environment.

Balancing high expectations with student support and empathy.

Advice for new dental hygiene educators entering academia.

Reflections on a career of teaching, mentorship, and the legacy she hopes to leave behind.

Connect with Our Guest:

Marion Manski, MS, RDH

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marion-manski-ms-rdh-839b0571/

Contact the Hosts:

Jessica Atkinson

Email: [email protected]

Dave Torres

Email: [email protected]